Cold Water
by JustSomePinecest
Summary: PINECEST PINECEST PINECEST! This is my first long fic. It's not as.. well smutty as the other ones. This one is far more tasteful instead of just an expression of my lady horniness. Far more romantic. It's got action and romance and tension. All that cool shiz. Rated M cause cussing. They're older in this one. It's their last summer at Gravity Falls before college.
1. Chapter 1

Dust hangs in the air in the attic. Dipper sat alone. He was missing his sister.

This was their last summer together at Gravity Falls before they started college. He fondly caressed the old, ratty sheet on his bed and grinned. There were so many good memories here. Well- Some of them were bad but mostly good.  
>All those adventures they'd had. The laughing, the crying, the pants-pissing fright, they were amazing, every moment. None of those memories compared to her though. Mabel.<p>

Mabel. He let her name roll though his head, collecting memories and quirks about her into his mind. He wandered toward private thoughts. The shape of her mouth, the way she chewed gum or ate a banana, her always present smile. An electric heat filled his belly.

"Uh-"

With a soft utterance he shook his head, pulled his hat from atop his curls, and ran his hand through them. 'Damn it's been two weeks.'

It had been two whole weeks since they came to Gravity Falls. And most unfortunately Grunkle Stan paid a lot more attention than their parents did, which was a real shame. The last few years they'd taken the liberty to sneak away and well 'you know' every chance they got. Because of Stan's vigilance, he'd kind of been avoiding Mabel for the whole time. Only seeing her at mealtimes, when they worked at the store, or when she insisted on hanging out with him, after hounding him.

He was so deeply in love with her ever since that one night at the shack three years ago during a thunderstorm. A shiver ran through him as he remembered their first romantic encounter. Soft whispers in the dark. Quiet moans and utterances. It was hard for him to stay away from her but harder still to keep his hands off her.

Sighing, he let himself fall back on the bed, threw his arm over his face, and gave in to his thoughts. Bits and pieces of ecstasy flitted through his mind; skin, heat, sweat, hard breaths in his ear, glitter, quiet giggling, the scent of strawberries. MABEL. His sister's name echoed loudly in his mind and he let out a groan not entirely of exasperation than forced himself to sit up again.

With a lip pulled into a sneer of frustration, Dipper looked down at his crotch. He let out a sigh and his mouth moved as if he wasn't sure what expression to make with it. With a quiet grunt he winced and adjusted himself until he was satisfied no one could tell what was really going on down there. Than sadly he jammed his somewhat faded blue pine tree hat back on his head, picked himself up, and took himself to the bathroom. This would already be the second time that day and it wasn't even eleven o' clock yet. But if he exhausted himself of sexual frustration, it helped a lot to keep the thoughts of his beloved sister away.

Dipper made his way to the bathroom, staring down with his hands in his pockets, lost in his own head. 'Even after all this time she just drives me crazy.' Or 'cray cray' as she would say. This elicits a smile from his lips. He didn't even notice his sister until he heard a voice right in front of him.

"Whatcha doooin?"

The seventeen year old started violently like a frightened cat, almost falling backwards in the process, his face full of surprise.

"DUGGH!"

The awkward noise was wrenched from him. In a moment he realized it was Mabel. With his hand pressed over his heart, an automatic smile spread across his face. He felt conflicted but his heart was very glad to see her. A relieved, happy chuckle bubbled out of him.

"Geez Mabes. You always do that! What is it with you?!" He jokes. "Sometimes I swear you're part ninja or something."

She stood in front of him with her hands behind her back, a mischievous smile spread across her face. A short purple tulle skirt practically caked in glitter and fake rhinestones adorned her somewhat chubby frame. Her torso was covered in a blue sweater that said SUP DUDE? in gaudy rainbow font. Thick black stockings led all the way to her pink flats. A more pronounced smile curled her mouth. Playfulness shone in her eyes and she dropped into a dramatic martial arts stance.

"Ohhhh waaahhhhh… You have found me out Dipper-san…" She says in a voice she imagines sounds Asiatic. "Now that you know my secret do you think you can defeat the master?!"

Her hand made a 'come hither' movement and she wiggled her hips, her eyes narrowed.

"I warn you Dipper-san. I have yet to be defeated. The last man who tried to fight me had his eyes gouged out!"

For a moment he considered playing along. But in the next moment he realized it would make things far worse for him down there. So instead he just scratched the back of his head lamely as he shrugged his shoulders.  
>"Sorry uh.. Mabel-chan?.. I have to er.. see a man about a horse. After that I promise we can hang out." He mumbled awkwardly and with a tiny movement he pointed to the bathroom door.<p>

A knowing look shone in Mabel's eyes as she stood up again. Her gaze shifted down his body.

"No you aren't…"  
>Her voice drops to above a whisper.<p>

"I know what you're _really_ dooiiing."

She teases in a singsong voice, her eyes smiling with a hint of lust.

Dipper grabbed his arm; a sure sign of insecurity. Suddenly he became very interested with the dusty, scuffed wainscoting. He didn't know what to say.

"I uhh…"

After a quick look around, Mabel suddenly moved close to him, and she stared penetratingly at him.

Dipper could feel her only a foot away. His face grew hot and dutifully he avoided her gaze which might as well have been a death wish with how he was feeling. He started to sweat a bit as his body tensed up in anxiety. His heart feeling like it wanted to thump right out of his chest. In a desperate whisper he hissed at her.

"Mabelll! Gimme a break will you? It's been two weeks! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?! You're gonna get us caught! Grunkle Stan already knows things have been a little weird between us!"

He knew she knew he couldn't resist her when she looked at him in that way. He squirmed a bit under her gaze.

"I don't even want to think about what would happen if we were found out!" He said worriedly.

Considering his words, Mabel looked away while rolling her eyes and stepped back with reluctance, her hands clasped behind her back once more; her face grew hot as she quelled her thoughts with a sigh and slumped a bit.

Dipper hated rejecting her. It made him positively ache to do it. A small, frustrated frown appeared on his face. Determined though not to let her be too disappointed, he formed the words in his head; something to make her feel better.

"You know I'm only telling you this because I have to. You know I want to, Mabes. We just can't risk it." He said in a matter of fact but gentle tone.

"But Grunkle Stan fell asleep on the couch! This is our chance! It's been two weeks for me too you know." There was irritation in her voice.

He knew she was trying to coax him but he had to protect her. Protect 'us'.

"No way missy. I don't.. trust myself nor you not to be… uh.. l-loud.. It's just been too long and I-"  
>As he said the word 'loud' his voice cracked and he gulped. Blushing deeply, he shuffled his feet.<p>

"It's just a bad idea."

He finished in a defeated tone.

Grumpily, Mabel smushed her back against the wall and slumped to the floor, staring at it. She fussed angrily with her purple tulle skirt. Her lip was pushed out into a pout and she scrunched her face up in frustration.

"Well you can't just keep avoiding me the whole summer. I can't take this. I miss my handsome guy!" She finishes in a bit of a baby voice.

Dipper blushed at the 'handsome guy' comment and chanced a look at her now. She looked pretty put out. He couldn't stand to see her like this. He felt a tug in his chest, pressed his hands into his pockets pensively and leaned against the wall with her.

"Look, maybe we can figure out _something_."

Chewing on her lip, Mabel thought too. Her eyebrows knitted together in an over-exaggerated expression of concentration.

Suddenly she wriggled her feet, her shoes clicked together in excitement.

"I know I KNOW! Let's go on a CAMPING TRIP!" She said her face in a triumphant smile.

With wide eyes, Dipper shot her a look of severe disapproval. Violently he shook his head.

"No way am I going in those woods overnight! And neither are you! During the day yeah, sure. But not at night!"

Mabel looked up at him pleadingly, pouting again, her eyes full of hope.  
>"Oh c'mon' Dipper, what's the worst that could happen!? We pretty much know everything there is to know about Gravity Falls now! There's no way anything could catch us by surprise anymore!"<p>

Closing his eyes, he shook his head again resolutely.

"Uh uh. No way. It's too dangerous."

Scrunching her mouth up, she tried to think of some way to get him to agree and just like that it pops into her head. She smiles evilly to herself.

"You know, Dip…" She says in a smooth voice. "You're so much bigger and stronger then you used to be. I bet you would have no problem protecting us from anything that might happen."

Falling right into her trap, Dipper scrubbed at the patchy hairs on his chin, considering this.

"You are right. I am a lot more capable then I used to be."

Reeling in her fish, she added, "You can even bring the note books if you want, just in case!"

A small smirk appears on his face and he looked at her slyly.

Mabel loved that look of quiet confidence he would get. 'Oh god I wanna kiss him!' She thinks. But all she does is smile back at him, biting her lower lip.

"Whaddaya think?" She asks, already knowing the answer.

Dipper smiled more, seeing her classic sign of arousal. All they had to do was hike for a while and find a nice clearing.

His thoughts drifted again and his little problem returned in full force. Not wanting to have to worry about his 'issue' anymore, he consented a bit hesitantly.

"Yeah alright, let's do it."

Mabel shot up off the floor like a bottle rocket, her face brighter then he'd seen in a week.

"YESSS! CAMPING TRIP! CAMPING TRIP! CAMPING TRIP!"

She danced around him, jumping up and down, twirling and shouting in a sing-song voice.  
>Dipper laughed at her enthusiasm, smiling wide at his sister. She was still as easily excited as she was when she was a kid. Nothing could crush her spirit. God he loved that about her.<p>

Suddenly his pensiveness is bombarded by a tight hug from Mabel. She presses her face into the crook of his neck and nuzzles happily. His heart sings as he feels her press to him. It had been a few days since she'd forced him into a hug and he was definitely not regretting his decision now.

However his hands started to itch. He wanted to pull her tighter to himself. Well a lot more than that. Before he let his emotions get the best of him, he gently pries her off of him.

When he looks at her he sees she's flushed again and chewing at her lip. With a small smirk and extreme control he fights not to embrace her again. A deep chuckle comes from him.

"Okay, okay. Save it for the tent."

He says quietly, raising an eyebrow at her.


	2. Chapter 2

It was around noon. Which was a little late to start a camping trip but it didn't matter because this trip was going to be special. For the first time in two whole weeks it would be just him and his Mabel. Who cares if they got started a little late? They still had plenty of daylight left anyhow.

Calmly and quietly, Dipper mentally checked off the things on his long list for the third time. Just making sure he had everything he thought he might need.

Band-aids  
>Cans of food<br>Can opener  
>Diaries One Two AND Three<br>Black light

Etc. Etc. Etc.

This was almost worth the whole trip. He loved being organized and making sure everything was in its proper place. Everything was in order. He smirked happily and hummed a tune to himself. This was going to be a lot of fun.

He could hear something banging in the house downstairs and shook his head, laughing softly. Even though he loved Mabel, sometimes he was glad she wasn't around to distract him with her randomness and constant babbling. And you know 'other things'. With a satisfied smile he continued down his list when something suddenly occurred to him.

" UGH! A TENT!"

Smacking his forehead he groaned and turned to look at the neatly arranged but HUGE pile of stuff. There was just no way.

"Tch.. Dangit. Really Pines?"

He scrutinized the list again, eyes narrowing, looking for things he didn't really need.

Yeah. No. He needed everything on the list. He had to be prepared for anything if he wanted to have any peace of mind.

He pressed his hand to his forehead with a sigh and reluctantly he set his list down and made his way out of the attic. After what seemed like only a few steps, he arrived at the room where the source of the occasional banging was originating from.

He peered around the door frame and spied Mabel digging in a big suitcase, her eyes wide with anticipation and excitement. With a smirk, he knocked on the wooden frame. Something she used to do a lot to him in their younger days at the Mystery Shack when he was pre-occupied with writing. It always used to scare the crap out of him because he was concentrating so much on his work.

"Knock knock, Mabel."

She jumps a bit but unlike Dipper, she wasn't the slightest bit bothered by the intrusion. Only half turning her head she began to ramble at him already.

"Oh hey bro! You ready?! This is gonna be so great! We're gonna get to see squirrels! And MAYBE A MARACA OWL! OOH! This is gonna be SOO GREAT! Just me and you, like old times! Exploring the dangers of the wild! And then tonight, well…"

The teenage girl trailed off, smiling to herself, her frantic digging in her piles of things ceases for a moment and she bothers to turn and look at her brother with a sly grin.

'Ah... She's biting her lip again.' He felt himself flush. With some control he held in his myriad of urges and he smiled back her, grinning as well.

Then just like that she turned away as if nothing had happened to resume her machinations.

"And maybe we'll see the gnomes! OH OR THE MANOTAURS! Dipper do you think-"

"Mabel!"

Dipper cuts her off, half snapping her out of her daze.  
>"What? Whaaat?" She says, still distracted as she rummages through her things, flitting around the room like a hummingbird on steroids.<p>

"Mabel this is important! Pack a tent okay? I don't have room for one cause I'm bringing a lot of essentials just in case."  
>Taking his hat off, he scratches his head, thinking.<br>Mabel continued to hurry around her room.

"Yeah, yeah okay a tent!"

She repeats.

Still a bit lost in thought, Dipper looks up at her, distractedly.

"Don't forget, Mabes."

He mumbles at her.

"Okay, tent, got it!"

She says again a bit irritated this time.

Satisfied, Dipper begins to walk back to the attic. As he walks, he stares down at the old wood floor. A deep-seeded nagging feeling has settled in his chest causing him a quiet flutter of panic. He was nervous. But when was he not nervous?

With a shrug he began to ignore the tug, mentally going over his list again in his head.

"You sure you kids'll be alright? You know how dangerous those woods are."  
>Grunkle Stan eyed them critically over his newspaper.<p>

Mabel reached out and clung to his arm affectionately, giving it a squeeze.  
>"Oh Grunkle Stan!"<br>She said with a smile, rolling her eyes at him and patting his shoulder.

"We're not kids anymore! We're practically full grown adults!"

Dipper exuded a quiet confidence; he wanted to look cool for his great uncle.

"Yeah don't worry, Stan. I'll keep us safe."

Stan's eyebrows rose in disbelief at Dipper as he looked away from his paper again.

"Yeah? You remember that zombie invasion I had to save you two from a few years ago? Didn't keep yourselves _safe_ then did you?"

Dipper deflated dramatically and rubbed his elbow, going right back to feeling awkward as usual.

"Yeah well like Mabel said, we're not really kids anymore. Besides there was plenty of other times we got out of trouble unscathed."

His voice cracked on top of everything and he looked away from Stan while rubbing the back of his head, suddenly unsure of himself.

Mabel came to the rescue and soothed her great uncle, petting his head.

"We'll be okay! I promise!"

'Good old Mabel. She always knows what to say and do to placate him.' Dipper thought.

Stan's eyes floated back to his newspaper and he ruffled it with a small frown.

"Whatever. Just don't underestimate what's out there in those woods!"

Shouldering their enormous packs, the twins were already on their way out the door when Mabel yelled back.

"We'll be fiiiiine!"


	3. Chapter 3

Only a few minutes later the two finally cleared the tree line, heading into the woods. As soon as they did, Dipper felt like they were away from prying eyes. A feeling of freedom suffused him and he felt himself actually relax a bit.

Smiling with a sigh, he whipped out a map from his ginormous pack and unfolded it, stopping in place. Silently he studied it for a moment. Their journey was all planned out right there in red pen. He followed the dotted line with his eyes carefully and turned this way and that, getting his bearings.

Mabel followed him as he turned his body shuffling this way and that with him, trying to peer over his shoulder at the map. She looked like she was trying to do some kind of crazy dance. Her heavy pack made her totter back and forth on her feet.

"So where we headed, Dippinsauce?"

She said brightly, sounding even more excited than usual.

Dipper was so happy. With a finger he pointed resolutely, claiming in a proud voice.  
>"That way!"<p>

They both trudged off in the direction he indicated. Dipper busied himself putting away his map with a satisfactory sigh.

He was out here alone in the woods with his best friend in the whole world. Today was a good day. Every now and then he would steal a look at his sister as they walked, a grin spreading across his face each time. He noticed how she waddled a bit because just like him, she'd over-packed. It only made him smile more.

After about ten minutes of quiet walking, Dipper couldn't take it any more and un-surreptitiously moved closer to his sister. Smoothly, he slid his hand into hers, twining his fingers with her own. Feeling her hand in his brought a warmness to him that chased away the chilly air.

Mabel shot a knowing smile at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Dipper felt himself melt inside.

"Hey you…"

He muttered in what he imagined was a sexy voice. But it didn't sound much different than his regular voice. Still, he had to try.

"Hey Dip…"

Mabel's sexy voice is MUCH more effective. Warmth flooded his belly at the sound of it.

"Fancy seeing you here."

He mused feeling blood suffuse his cheeks, making them pink. Dipper winked at her and gave her hand a small squeeze, grinning goofily.

"Yah like, super cool coincidence, right?!"

This made Dipper chuckle a little. There was no end to his appreciation for her. It was so good to have someone give him a break for once. He knew he was silly and nerdy and dorky and all that other stuff everyone always reminded him he was every chance they got. But it felt so wonderful to have someone, at least one special person that didn't make him feel like he was a dork at least some of the time.

He switched to his 'sexy' voice again and said with a sly grin.

"Well, since you're here, you wanna go make out by that tree?"

Mabel followed his gesturing hand to see a particularly large pine tree.

"Totally!"

She squealed happily and the two sauntered over to the large conifer, hand in hand.

As soon as they reached it Mabel dropped her pack and Dipper followed suit. The two embraced each other both leaning in to kiss one another.

His heart exploded against his ribcage and he felt himself flush to his fingertips as her arms wrapped around him lovingly. Wasting no time, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers. A rush filled him, making him almost breathless at the yearning he felt for her. He wanted to touch her, caress her, feel every part of her against him. A burning heat filled his groin and he reveled in the feeling, mumbling her name thickly with a groan into her lips.

Dipper slid his tongue along hers and was rewarded with a soft, pensive moan in return. The sound made his knees feel weak and he felt himself flush with heat again dizzily. His heart rate quickened and he resisted the strong urge to pick her up and pin her against the tree with his hips. His hormones were going crazy. It hadn't even been that long since they'd given in to their more carnal desires back home. But his loins were acting as if this was their first time. Instead of doing something extreme, he contented himself with grasping greedily but gently at her curvy sides and pulling her tightly against him. A quite loud and inadvertent moan left his lips and he winced. God he'd been waiting weeks to feel himself against her again. It felt amazing to feel her body against his like this. He could feel heat pouring off of her down there. The thought made him pant. It was all too much.

After a few minutes of frantic making out he pulled away from her hesitantly, his chest heaving. His 'Little Dipper' was getting a bit _too_ happy. He had to slow down or he would need to change his underwear right then and there. Gingerly, he tucked a tuft of hair behind her ear with a quiet sigh and stared at her.

Her face was bright red and her gaze unfocused as she looked back at him. He smiled at the fact that he could make her feel the same way she made him feel. A sudden deeper, less sexual desire to just hold her and be with her filled him and he embraced her again, more gently this time.

To his surprise she reached up and slid her hand down his chest, grazing him with her fingernails. He can feel the intent through his flannel shirt. The gesture made him clench his jaw and breathe in sharply. Mabel smiled wickedly. He knew she had to remind him who the Alpha Twin was. And he fucking loved it.

Dipper felt his sister slide her hand up the back of his shirt. He shuddered as she raked her nails down his back, moaning deeply in his throat.  
>"Unngh…"<p>

Things were getting crazy again already. He just couldn't stop and he knew she couldn't either. It looked like the might just end up doing it right then and there.

With a very sudden jerk, Mabel wrenched Dipper from her and stumbled back against the pine tree.

'W-what?' Bewildered and dismayed, he grabbed her shoulders before she had a chance to fall. His mind was fuzzy and he tried to focus. What did he do this time? It was going so well too. Cursing to himself, he tried to quell the angry throbbing below. He just knew he had been too rough with his stupid hands or went too quickly. This wouldn't be the first time he'd messed up. With a sigh he rubbed the back of his head, abashed.  
>"Ah, I'm sorry Mabes. What'd I do th-"<p>

He looked up and a shudder ran through him because of the look he saw on her face. The small tug of worry he'd been holding in this whole time since he left her room while she was still packing, surged to the surface in a torrent. Panic flooded his senses, making him break out in little unpleasant pinprick sensations. 'Oh god, what's happening?!'

"Mabel!? What's wrong?! MABEL!"

She stood there with a look of pure terror on her face. Her mouth was open in a silent scream and her breath hitched. A sob is wrenched from her throat. His sister stares off into the distance over her brother's right shoulder, just staring in horror.

Frantic and shaking, Dipper looks over his shoulder in the same direction but sees absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. What the hell was happening?! Was this some kind of weird seizure or something? 'Nononono. Make it stop.' He breathes hard and fast, feeling a panic attack start to set in. Desperately, he grabbed her shoulders in one last effort, shaking her.  
>"MABEL! MABEL! WAKE UP!"<p>

As if snapping out of a trance, her clouded eyes seemed to focus and she blinked hard a few times. Slowly she straightened up. Looking weary she covered her eyes, slurring.  
>"Wwhat h-happened?"<p>

Dipper reached out with sweaty, trembling fingers and stroked her cheek gently. Concern was written all over his face, making his brow furrow. Little beads of fear sweat dotting his forehead. His nerves were totally shot.

"I-I dunno you just sorta… freaked out."

His voice was hoarse and squeaky with worry, a sob caught in it. He didn't know what do or what to think. He was totally freaking out. Slowly though he felt his ragged breaths calm slightly. He was bewildered and scared, and worried for her, although slightly relieved. 'She doesn't even remember what just happened.' He thought. 'What the hell _did_ just happen?'

Mabel looked into his eyes, searching for answers. She too was breathing hard and she looked upset and worried but most of all confused and lost.

Seeing that look in her eyes makes him feel like he was being torn in two for some reason. His jaw clenched in quiet resolution. No. He had to pull himself together. She needed him. Without a second thought he pulled her into a protective hug, holding her head against his shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay now. I'm here."

He said in a deep, quiet voice with a confidence he was miles from feeling. But he had to be strong for her. Hiding what he really felt, he stole himself and pressed her back gently at arm's length, his hands on her shoulders. He reached up a little to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand and breathed out a long sigh, his brow still furrowed his mouth thin with worry still.

"You okay now Mabel?"

He felt a little proud of himself that he was able to keep the shakiness out of his voice.

The girl looked back at him again. She still looked lost. Almost like a child alone in a store who could not find their parent. She wanted answers and he just didn't have them for her.

"Look,"

Dipper said softly, stroking her cheek again.

"Let's go back. I'm not sure what's going on but I damn well don't want it to happen again… If it has to though, it's much safer for us to be back at the shack when it does. We're gonna figure this out okay?"

Mabel's face instantly turned to a pout, the light in her eyes brightening again to their usual vigor. She clutched her hands to his chest.  
>"NOO! No! Cmooon I'm okay now see? I dunno what that was but I promise I'm FINE! No please cmon Dip we both really neeeed this getaway! You can't just cancel on me I had a teeny weeny eency weency little freak out!"<p>

Quietly Dipper shook his head. He was still looking at her with extreme concern and his heart thumped hard in his chest.

"Mabel…"

He said in an exasperated tone. Why did she always have to fight him on stuff like this? He was only trying to do what was best for her.

Undaunted, she continued to try and convince him to change his mind.

"I promise it won't happen again! Look we can start making out again! Please? Come ooon. You know you want this just as much as I do… Don't you want this?"

He sighed. He knew she was trying to manipulate him and dammit it was working. He did want this. Badly. With another sigh he shook his head and caved to her.

"Fine. But if you start acting weird even a little, we're going straight back to the Shack. Understood?"

Dipper stared at her again. He needed her to understand that he was serious about this, even if she wasn't.

Mabel frowned a little and nodded at him, like a child that was being scolded. It pulled at his heart. He was still worried. Very worried but he just couldn't say no to her. Besides, he knew he would really regret it if they went back now; so many trips to the bathroom.

Dipper was still upset but he wasn't gonna let that ruin this for her.

Carefully Dipper picked up his pack and Mabel did too. After checking the map again and making sure they were headed the right way, the two started off again to their destination.

He initiated a game of tag with her to cheer her up. Before he knew it she was back to normal, play fighting, randomness and all.

Dipper was happy again. He fought hard to quell the nagging fear in him. His paranoia wasn't going to ruin things, no way, not this time.


	4. Chapter 4

The feeling in Dipper's gut twisted and tugged at him. Outwardly he smiled and played with his sister, making goofy faces and laughing with her. But inwardly there was a strong undercurrent of worry and nervousness. What if that thing happened again? What would he do? Why did he let her talk him into not going back?

Everything seemed fine and normal though. He smiled at his sister, beaming even. Every time she saw a bird or small animal, she'd go into a tizzy and creep as close as she could get, doing the Crocodile Hunter voice in a loud whisper until the animal decided it had enough and flitted away.

As she was 'hunting' another squirrel, Dipper discerned an unusual noise. Water. The sound of water. Furrowing his brow he stopped and took out his map again, studying it.

Mabel chased the squirrel away accidentally.

"Nooo! Come back I just want to be friends! WHY DON'T YOU TRUST MY LOVE?!"

She turned to notice Dipper had stopped and she went up behind him to press cheek to his, looking at the map.

"What are we looking at? Why you got a face like a troll?"

Dipper turned the map around in his hands, confused. His mouth twisted into a bewildered expression.

"Well, according to the map there isn't supposed to be any water around here at all. But I hear water."

He pointed to a particular spot on the map. Sure enough there were no blue blobs or lines less than an inch away from the spot he indicated.

He lowered the map and looked upward again at the quiet woods. Both he and Mabel could definitely hear the burbling sound of water running somewhere nearby.

"Aww you know you can't trust anything about this nutso place. Don't worry; the map is probably just wrong or something. Since when did you start trusting anything about this town? It's not like you made the map yourself. You can't trust it."

Mabel poked him in the nose, booping it, with an encouraging smile. Dipper knew she was trying to get him to feel less nervous. He appreciated it. She was always the light in the dark. He knew that even though he was doing a pretty good job pretending to be okay that Mabel could see right through it. Finding strength in her happy resolve, he folded the map back up.

"Yeah, you're right. We know this place doesn't make sense. It's very possible the map is just wrong."

Looking around he noticed the clearing they were in was pretty nice. Sun shone through the treetops, little lights danced on the floor of pine needles, the gentle sound of water nearby. Although that part was still a little weird. Why wasn't it on the map? Whatever.

"This place actually is pretty nice. Why don't we just set up camp here?"

Dipper took off his pack slowly, still looking around. Then a strong nagging feeling pulled at him and he remembered something. What was the chance that Mabel remembered to pack the tent? His stupid hormones had sabotaged things again. He had forgotten to remind her.

He didn't want to even ask her if she had it. He knew what the answer would be. He just knew he'd screw up something. But hoping against hope he asked.

"So let's break out the tent. You brought it right?"

The twisting in his stomach grew as he waited for what he knew was coming.

She turned to him with a surprised face.

'Shit.'

"What? You never told me to bring a tent. Cmon that should be your job."

Dipper breathed in deeply through his nose and slowly let it out of his mouth. His brow twitched in irritation. He had only asked one thing of her. And though he didn't remind her, would it kill her to listen to him just once?

"I told you to pack it. I even made sure you heard me."

He tried to keep his calm; though he couldn't keep the patronizing tone out of his voice. He was pissed. He really wanted this trip to work and now they either had to go back or just sleep without a tent. Both of those options sucked. He should have just brought the tent himself.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST BROUGHT THE TENT YOURSELF!"

Mabel's unexpected yell cuts though his calm. What was she yelling at HIM for?! He hadn't dropped the ball! He tried to tell himself it was because she was disappointed. But with his fright from earlier, and pent up sexual frustration, he had reached his breaking point.

Dipper felt heat infuse his face. He hated when she yelled at him. 'It's just the way she is.' Saying it over and over to himself didn't help quash his anger. It always cut him deep when she yelled at him, especially since they had gotten romantically involved.

"I DID tell you to get it! I even tried to make sure you'd listened to me! Of COURSE you didn't though! You never pay attention to the things I say! You have no respect for me, Mabel!"

His words caught her totally off guard. They made her feel vulnerable, the immature one AGAIN. Something deep inside her had cracked. She didn't know he felt that way; and the fact that it was her fault made her feel like she was literally dying inside. Not wanting to face her feelings though, she threw herself dramatically on the ground. Her hands dug through her backpack and a red pack of skittles emerged which she began to eat angrily, not daring to look at him. If she couldn't resolve her feelings, she would eat them.

"You're gonna get a stomach ache. What have I told you about doing that? Let's just talk about this. Look I'm sorry. Please let's just talk."

He's even more frustrated with her. Why did she have to be so childish sometimes? She was so stubborn when it came to admitting she was wrong. After a few more moments he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He could see she was not going to stop until she'd eaten enough candy to make her stop caring. He wanted to stop her but didn't want to make her angrier. So instead he just stood there dumbly, watching her eat.

She grumbled, shoving more of them into her mouth. "You know I don't listen to you half the time! You should have told me like ten more times! You know how I work!"

'WHAT?!' Hot anger rose inside him. Why was it ALWAYS his job to remind her of EVERYTHING?! Dipper's mouth became a sneer. Stooping down suddenly, he snatched the skittles bag out of her hand.

"MABEL! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! Stop eating your feelings! There that's ten! NOW STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD!"

Dipper had just yelled at her. At HER! He never yelled at her like this. Sure he'd get annoyed and angry. But he never yelled at her like this. Trying not to cry, she stumbled to her feet with her heavy pack; she fumed at him, real anger and hurt in her expression now. With a heave she tossed the remaining skittles in her hand, right at his face, hard.

"FINE! YOU KNOW WHAT?!"

She screamed.

"I DON'T WANNA GO CAMPING WITH A JERK ANYHOW!"

'Nononononooo!' A look of exasperation and helplessness came over his face which stung from where the little round candies had pinged it. Dipper knew he'd gone too far and it wasn't fair for him to talk to her like that. But he also knew he was right. He had told her about the tent. And would it kill her to actually listen to him? His face hardened. He was so done with her stubbornness.

"Well maybe I don't wanna go camping with someone who can't listen to the one thing I ask her to do!"

His confidence and determination broke a little at the withering look she gave him. Jeez he'd never seen her look at him like that before. Why did he have to push her so far? Regretting what he had said, he almost spoke up.

"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME!"

With a deep helplessness he watched her stride off through the trees. Angry red blotches still on his face. Her words cut into him like a knife, filling him with insecurity. With a quiet, sadness, his eyes widened as he realized she was right in a way. She always confused him. He could never tell what she was gonna do next and he hated that. It frightened him.

"MAYBE I DON'T KNOW YOU!"

He screamed back angrily. There was a tremble in his voice. He felt like crying. Frustrated and hurt he grabbed his pack and stomped off in the opposite direction, away from his sister.


	5. Chapter 5

Furious! Dipper was furious!

"WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT?! WHAT IS HER PROBLEM!?"

He yelled as he wrenched open the door to the Mystery Shack. Dipper slammed the door behind him hard, rattling it in its frame. He actually didn't mean to slam it that hard but he was just completely fed up with Mabel's shitty attitude and immaturity. Throwing his pack to the floor, he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Soos was there until the guy spoke.

"Why does who have to be what way now? You okay, dude?"

His face beet red, Dipper looked up, fuming, his mouth a hard line. He ground his teeth and just stared back down at the floor.

Soos had his eyebrows raised. He'd never seen Dipper quite this angry before. It concerned him. He always sort of looked out for the twins like his own adopted niece and nephew.

"Come on and spill it, bro. What's wrong?"

Feeling his anger drain from him, Dipper pulled his hat off and pressed his fingers hard into his eyes before wiping sweat from his birthmark. Then he jammed his hat back on and crossed his arms, shaking his head for a moment, too frustrated to speak.

Soos leaned over the sales counter with a wizened look and stared at his young friend.

"It's Mabel isn't it?"

Looking up, a little surprised, Dipper gazed at Soos for a long moment before saying slowly.

"Yeah, h-how'd you know?"

Soos shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Don't worry, brothers and sisters always fight. It's totally normal."

With his arms still crossed, Dipper stared back at the floor, letting out a deep sigh. He shifted his weight to lean against the wall, moodily.

"I know she's my sister but sometimes she just makes me so angry. She's so damn stubborn. At times I can't even believe we're from the same parents."

Soos looked away for a moment to put some price tags on some rubber eyeballs.

"You can't be too hard on Mabel. She's special. She's not like normal people. And she doesn't think like you and me."

Dipper furrowed his brow, realizing that Soos was right. But he had a hard time reconciling it. This had been their first big fight as a couple. It hurt every time he thought about the look she had on her face as she yelled at him.

"You should go apologize, dude. She will too. You know Mabel doesn't like to be mad at people she cares about."

Just as he was thinking that he should go find her to tell her he was sorry, a jolt ran through him. He didn't know where she was! He had an idea but he wasn't sure. How would he find her?! A sudden and intense panic set in. He knew he shouldn't feel that upset but for some reason he felt very scared for her.

"I HAVE TO GO FIND HER!"

His voice cracked and his mind raced. He turned to grab his pack, digging out the three journals and a miniature black light. They were always a good idea to have with him everywhere he went in Gravity Falls.

Soos looked up suddenly, brow creasing in worry. He gave Dipper a disapproving look.

"What do you mean? You don't know where she is?! BRO! She's your sister! You just left your buddy behind? Not cool dude!"

Dipper scrambled to pack the journals and light into a small messenger bag. When he stood up again he just looked up at Soos, panicked, breathing hard and sweating. His eye twitched.

"How am I gonna find her!?"

The man looked back at Dipper. Suddenly his eyes shone with an idea and he snapped his fingers, smiling.

Putting two meaty fingers between his lips he whistled shrilly, making Dipper cover his ears and squint at the sound.

A loud thundering noise sounded from somewhere else on the first floor of the shack, followed by a high, shrill squeal. The walls of the shack shook slightly from the force of the whatever it was.

Dipper gasped, feeling hope swell slightly in his chest. WADDLES!

A huge pig barges its way into the gift shop, sliding on his cloven hooves, knocking over a display of postcards with another loud squeal.

"YES! Thank goodness there was that one summer Mabel tried to teach him to hunt for truffles!"

Dipper knelt down and let the eight-hundred pound creature press his huge head into his arms just like a giant puppy. He caressed the large head gratefully. His eyes full of appreciation.

Looking up again a thought strikes him and his pupils contract again slightly with worry.

"Ah! I need something of Mabel's with her scent."

Dipper blushed as he realized he had a few 'articles' of Mabel's clothing in his room but he couldn't very well let Soos know he had them. They were special things Mabel had given him to 'remember' her. He stood again and raced from the gift shop to Mabel's room, the huge pig ran after him. The intuitive creature could sense something was very wrong.

As he slid into Mabel's room, Dipper snatched up the first accessory he could find; a black head band with pink cat ears attached to it. For a moment he stared at it and squeezed it hard, suddenly missing Mabel so much it almost made him buckle at the knees.

He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed hard before he leaned down and pressed the headband to the pig's nose with shaking fingers.

"WADDLES FIND MABEL!"

His voice was high and squeaky with panic.

The hog's beady eyes clouded over and he let out a plaintive grunt. Like and explosion he charged out of the room. Dipper was hot on his heels. They rounded the doorway to the gift shop and Soos' eyes connected with Dipper's. The man looked tense and uneasy.

"Don't you need help?!"

Dipper barely had the chance to slam open the door to the shack before Waddles hurtled himself out the entryway.

"JUST CROSS YOUR FINGERS HE CAN FIND HER!"

Dipper yelled anxiously.

The large man ran to the door, staring out after the receding teenager and pig. He pressed his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

"BUT WHAT IF SHE'S IN TROUBLE!?"

Dipper only was able to look back at Soos silently, his face showing intense worry, before turning back to try and keep up with the racing Waddles.

"GOOD LUCK, DUDE!"

He heard Soos' despondent voice distantly call.

Sweat pours from Dipper as he fights to keep up with Mabel's beloved pet. It's obvious from his hurried gait that Waddles has picked up on Dipper's anxiety and fear. He had the urge to reach out and pet the pig. 'Good old Waddles. Please find her!'

Mabel trudged through the woods, stomping her feet with each step. Twin trails of salt stained her face where the tears slid down, they continued to flow. Leaning against a tree, she screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to let out some of her anger and pain. She kicked at the tree.

"OW! DANGIT! UGH!"

Limping, she circled the tree, huffing and puffing, yelling to herself.

"Stupid DORK! GOSH! He always thinks he's SOOOO smaaart! Duurrr I'm Dipper and I know eeeverything duuuhhh! Oh NO A GIRL! Let me SWEAT OUT ALL OF MY FLUIDS BECAUSE I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE OF THE OPPOSITE GENDER!"

Her foot still hurt but she didn't care anymore. She kicked the tree again. Immediately she let out an irate shriek and grabbed her foot in agony. As she jumped on one foot, holding her other, she fell backwards with a yelp.

"WAH!"

Stuck on her back, like a turtle she screamed again and kicked at the air. More tears of frustration squeezed out of her eyes.

"STUPID DIPPER!"

She sobbed and cried for a bit then grew quiet. With a long sigh she stared up at the bits of sky she spied through the trees, all her limbs going limp, she'd given up.

"Now my foot hurts. This is all his fault."

With a soft groan she slid out of her back pack and sat up. Reaching into a pocket she pulled out another bag of Skittles and began to eat again. Her face is frozen into an expression of weariness as she shoves the little candies into her mouth. At least her dumb brother wasn't here to stop her now and tell her what to do.

As she ate, she finally began to calm down, her thoughts becoming more rational again. More tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized how dumb she had been.

With the tears blurring her vision, she looked at the bag of Skittles and with reluctance she folded the bag and slowly put it back in her pack.

Her anger almost completely drained, she stood up and scrubbed her sleeve across her face, sniffing hard. Looking up she thought she heard the tinkling of water. It was close now. She felt the need to touch the cleansing water. To let it wash away her emotions.

Without thinking much, she reached down to pick her back pack up and stiffly she made her way toward the sound.

"Water."  
>She mumbled.<p>

Dipper streaked through the woods after Waddles. The huge animal's stamina seemed endless. His however, was waning. He breathed raggedly, his legs burning and aching. His heart felt like it was gonna explode but there was no way he was going to stop. With each step his panic grew stronger. Hot tears pricked the corners of his eyes.

Suddenly Waddles picked up speed, pine needles flying from under his hooves. With a cry Dipper pushed his body to its limit, sobbing through his breaths.

Wistfully, Mabel shrugged her back pack off, setting it down gently. Seeing a glint of water, her eyes focus on it. For an indeterminate amount of time she simply stared at the gentle shine of the sun against the water. Reaching down without breaking eye contact, she pulled off her stockings and flats slowly. As if in a trance she made her way over to the water's edge.

Sitting in front of it, she put her toe in. The icy, clear current pulled hard at her digit but she didn't seem to mind at all. In fact she smiled.

With a blank expression she leaned down and slipped her hand into the water. The surface surged, almost with a life of its own and tugged at her, almost pulling her in. She giggled softly and strangely.

"MABEL!"

Dipper screamed Mabel's name, his stomach twisting itself in knots. 'Nononono..' His whole body ached as if he had run a marathon.

Waddles burst through the trees, skidding to a stop in the dirt and pine needles. Dipper is right behind him.

Finally he rounded a tree, panting for breath, leaning his hand against it, and saw her standing next to a burbling stream. His eyes grew wide with that strange fear and the pain in his body and mind rose to a fever pitch.

Waddles' let out one loud squeal that echoed through the silence of the forest. Dipper blinked through the sweat that plastered his bangs to his forehead and gazed at the figure. Both him and Waddles stared at Mabel for what seemed like an eternity.

With a soft smile she then turned dreamily to look at them, standing next to the innocent-looking stream. Then she turned back to look at the water almost lovingly.

He somehow knew she hadn't really seen him or Waddles. It was something about her eyes. 'What's happening? No.. please.' His breath hitched in his chest and he let out strangled sob. The water looked calm and gentle but something in his gut churned as he looked at it. He suddenly got the urge to vomit. Something was VERY wrong. Something was going to happen…

"M-MABEL!"

He cried out desperately for her, his own voice echoed through the clearing. It was like someone was squeezing his heart. His hand shot out toward her as if that act alone could stop her from what she was about to do. He was still fifty feet from where she stood though. There was literally nothing he could do to help her. 'YOU'RE TOO LATE!' His head screamed at him.

Mabel looked up at him one more time, smiling blissfully; she closed her eyes and fell backwards in what seemed like slow motion into the stream. Two to three seconds elapsed and she had already disappeared completely, leaving not even a ripple to suggest she had even been there at all.


	6. Chapter 6

The icy temperature of the water hit Dipper like a truck, forcing bubbles from his mouth. He winced hard at the immediate and freezing temperature as it soaked him through. The water was much deeper then he even anticipated. The intense cold made him feel dizzy but before he could even think to take a breath at the surface, he found himself being swept downwards with a strong undercurrent.

More bubbles escaped his mouth as he panicked. He began to swim frantically toward the surface. No matter how hard he tried though the light above him was only growing dimmer and dimmer as he was pulled down further and further.

His lungs ached for oxygen and he sobbed. He realized he was going to die down here. His brain began to grow fuzzy and he thinks of everything he can remember about Mabel. He wanted his last thoughts to be of her. Wherever she was at least they'd be together now.

His mind is sluggish as he bumps into something hard and rubbery. With his awareness waning, he thinks he perceives some kind of strange face with large dark eyes and an elongated mouth.

A terrible noise shrieks into every fiber of his being he is knocked into blissful unconsciousness.

Light. Coldness. Light. 'Go away. Let me sleep. Ahh so bright.' Dipper opened his eyes a fraction and the light burned into them, making him wince in pain. He drew in a deep breath and cold shot through him. Colors exploded behind his eyes as his head throbbed so hard it was like it has its own heartbeat. With a surge of happiness he realized he was alive.

He took in a couple of more gulps of 'air' like he couldn't get enough of it. Breathing hard, he tentatively opened his eyes again and it was pitch black. He could breathe and it was cold but he WAS alive! At least he thought he was. He felt alive. He tested his limbs to see if they still worked but something was keeping him from moving, it was tight and it hurt. It squeezed him when he moved.

He felt a stirring all around him and the blackness lifted almost like a curtain. He could see. But he wished he couldn't.

Indeterminable shapes loomed around him; he could not see exactly what they were. Long trailing weeds enveloped his limbs. They were leading from the floating shapes. The movement of the shapes was disturbing, like they were moving slowly and both quickly all at the same time. All he could really see clearly were EYES; large, ebony eyes. These dozens of pairs of eyes had a glow all their own. They shone at him inhumanly in the darkness. Their glossiness almost like metal and water mixed. They stared, making him feel like he was drowning all over again from fear.

He could see he was underwater. He was in the evil stream.

Looking down he tested his limbs again and felt the ropy weeds squeeze, making his hands and feet throb with pain.

"Ahh!"

No bubbles came from his mouth and he was astonished to hear his own voice, clear as a bell instead of gurgling noises.

A sound came into existence around him. It flowed though him, bombarding him on all sides. It was impossibly loud. He felt his ears pop and vibrate from the noise. He screamed from pain.

Curiously he thought it was forming words. English.

"-DOING HERE HUMAN?!"

Still wincing in agony, he replies with the first thing that comes to his mind, yelling it back at the beings.

"WHERE'S MY SISTER?!"

His voice sounds much louder in his ears then it would on land.

The largest shape, directly in front of him, looms closer. And with sheer horror he begins to pick out features. A tall, vaguely humanoid shape with long arms and legs, coupled with an un-naturally long midsection that shuddered, bended and twisted like no torso he'd ever seen on a human. Elongated, webbed spindly fingers and toes twitched almost with a life of their own. Impossibly long seaweed extended from the creature's back, arms and legs, leading off in all directions. Squinting, dipper could even see tiny hair-like weeds on its hands, feet and body. Its color was something like a muddy brown-green like swamp mud. The most terrifying part of it all though was the head. It was a terrifying, skeletal horse skull with bony protrusions and razor-sharp teeth which showed between its thin lips. Its huge black eyes bulged out of the skeletal sockets, lidless. It penetrated him with its alien stare.

He could not fathom what it could be thinking. It did not have a human face and its expression, if any was unrecognizable to Dipper.

The teenager felt his eyes begin to roll back in his head, he was going to faint from fright. A tiny voice rose shrilly from the darkness in his head. 'Kelpie' it whispered. Dipper forced his eyes back open as he tried to remember everything the book had said about them. 'Scottish, shape shifters, ruthless, tribal, incapable of love'. Love. Mabel's face shone in his mind and he clung to it desperately.

"WHERE'S MABEL?!"

He yelled again, feeling a quiet anger build in his chest. He clung to that too; any emotion that made him feel more alive again more human, like he could wake up from this nightmare.

The largest beast that loomed only about ten feet from him raised a long arm and pointed a claw at him. The tiny weeds on its hand swirled and swayed.

The voice cut through his body like a concussion beam and Dipper tried to curl up into a ball in preservation. The weeds still pulled his limbs taught though.

"YOU WERE NOT INVITED HERE!"

The thoughts of his sister buoyed him up, like a light in the darkness. Her laugh, her smile.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

Dipper repeated, becoming more infuriated by the second.

The blistering voice exploded into being once again, invading his senses and making his teeth chatter.

"YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE HUMAN! YOU ARE NOT ONE WE WANT!"

Feeling helpless he tugged at the weeds. 'Seaweed, plants'. Frantically he tried to bite at the weeds, extending his neck as far as he could; an insane fervor in his eyes.

Noise shrieked into his mind, this time it was not English and it was accompanied by a cacophony of others. The weeds loosened slightly and as quickly as he could, Dipper brought up his left forearm to his mouth and bit as hard as he possibly could, chewing at his bonds like a coyote trying to chew off its own leg.

The weeds on his left arm loosened even more and there was a long, loud hiss in his ear. He tried to shake them off but they continued to hold him so he tore at them harder until they retreated completely and his arm was free. Insanely he swiped at the largest Kelpie in front of him like an enraged animal. He was completely unhinged now.

After what seemed like a long moment, fresh weeds snake around his left forearm and the ones binding his other limbs all pulled tightly. Dipper felt as if his arms and legs were going to be pulled from their sockets and he let out a wail of pain.

"AUUGH!"

He floated there, panting and sobbing into the cold water.

The voice sounded again. It was quiet this time and the pain he felt was not nearly as forceful. There was a tinge of amusement in it.

"You are tenacious… We have never met one like you…"

Dipper narrowed his eyes at the largest Kelpie, though the creature terrified him, it was nothing compared to the fury he felt. These pieces of shit took his Mabel.

"WHERE'S MY DAMN SISTER!?"

The strange being floated closer to him using small movements of its bizarre weed hair. The black eyes bore into his and Dipper almost felt as if they were looking straight through him with their unblinking stare.

The voice dug into him again.

"What do you hope you can accomplish?... With a thought I can take your breath away and you shall die within minutes… Why do you continue to struggle?..."

A fire burned behind Dipper's eyes. He did not appreciate being patronized or underestimated. Thoughts of Mabel spread warmth all the way to his fingertips. 'Mabel…'

"I STRUGGLE TO SAVE MY SISTER!"

He screamed for all he was worth. Pulling against the weeds, he could feel them cutting into his skin and he groaned in torment.

A light shined to his right and the darkness parts like a cat's eye. Dark weeds pushed forward a form that was tiny and still. It looks like a broken doll. It floated there lifeless. Where once there burned a fierce fire there was now only a husk. Its skin is tinged a pale with a blue and the doll's small mouth is parted slightly.

Dipper's breath caught in his throat and he heard himself begin to cry. He stopped fighting and felt himself grow limp and his light dimmed, just like his sister. Sobs wracked his body, making him shudder violently.

"She is gone. What can you hope to accomplish? She is much more useful to us now then you. We will feast upon her and we will enjoy it very much. Her sacrifice was not in vain."

He felt vomit rise in his gullet as he looked at his sister's body but he held it back just barely. 'Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god…'

"The emotions of humans are fragile and weak as always. You will return to your realm. We don't have any use for you. The little respect we have for your spirit, will save your life."

A tiny fire erupted inside Dipper. Even after all this. Even after they had his sister. There was nothing he could do, they were right. But they still had the balls to patronize him. Damn he was never good enough for ANYONE but Mabel. Not even stupid fucking monsters wanted him. An idea sparked in his mind. With a sudden boldness he didn't know he possessed, he calmed himself and stared right back at the lead Kelpie with fearless eyes.

"You may have my body if you will bring her back and let her go! I have more… meat."

He shuddered slightly at the thought.

He slightly regretted it when the shriek slammed into his brain.

"YOU DARE TRY TO BARGAIN WITH US?!"

With nothing left to lose, Dipper became even bolder. Gritting his teeth he screamed back.

"YES I DO DARE! WITHOUT HER I HAVE NOTHING AND IF YOU TAKE ME AND SEND ME BACK TO MY WORLD YOU'RE DOOMING ME TO A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!"

He was crying again but he didn't care.

Something terribly cold, rough and slimy caressed his cheek in the most horrible fashion.

"We do not want you. Far too volatile. You fight everything. You refuse to accept anything. With your anger and defiance you intrude upon us. You are useless and your spirit and flesh would taste like ashes in our mouths."

Dipper snapped defiantly at the weed with his teeth; his eyes wide with hatred, he roared.

"KILL ME THEN YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

The huge, strange creature floated right up to him. It's grotesque head filling his field of vision completely. Its alien expression was cold and unreadable.

"You would sacrifice yourself... for your mate?"

There was mirth in the voice again.

Tears overtook Dipper again and he sobbed but forced his voice not to quaver too much.

"She's not just my mate, she's my twin sister she means the world to me. There is no question."

The face changed, making a new expression he still could not recognize. Its voice was quiet now. It whispered to him.

"What does she mean to you?"

"Everything."

He wept.

"Without her I might as well drown myself as soon as you let me go."

A weed trailed curiously across his cheek again.

"Why? You cannot procreate with her. She is of your blood."

Dipper positively bawled.

"How do I face my family and friends and tell them what happened? And for that matter how do I face life with someone I have seen almost every day since I was born?"

His mind began to work again slowly and a plan hatched in his mind. It was the smallest but brightest hope he had. He gazed disgustedly at the Kelpie.

"Is that what you think? That I need her to procreate? We do that for pleasure. Do you derive pleasure from the act of 'procreating'? I need her because I want her. Not because I really need her to survive. That's something you could never understand. Happiness."

He spat his words at the Kelpie leader; every one of them oozing revulsion.

The tentacle of seaweed caressing his face slashed across his cheek with loathing. Blood slowly seeped into the water where it cut him.

"Happiness. Useless. Human emotion. What do you hope the outcome of all this will be?... Your mate is dead. Why do you still try?"

Dipper's mind burned with confidence. He could feel he had piqued the Kelpie's curiosity.

"It's not useless. You mean to tell me there isn't anything in this world you would die for?"

Obviously fascinated, the voice bubbles mirthfully in his ear.

"Why does she mean that much to you? Of course we war against other tribes in hope to be victorious. We must secure our place among the gorge in order to continue to exist. Some of us are destroyed in the process. But we never stop fighting."

The one weed stroked his face again, but he could feel the ones around his limbs loosen slightly. They were unsure of themselves.

"She just means everything to me. I can't explain it to you if you don't understand. Perhaps your species is too under-evolved to understand."

There was cockiness in his voice.

Dozens of laughing voices strained Dipper's ear drums making them feel as if they're going to burst again and he grunted in discomfort.

The voice purred in his ear.

"You amuse us with your ignorance."

Dipper chuckled right back.

"You laugh but you know it's true. If you truly were a superior race why wouldn't you be able to understand?"

Suddenly the weeds let him go. They were so disgusted with him; they did not even want to touch him. He'd hit a nerve, big time.

The leader of the Kelpies fought to regain control, screeching at his followers.

Dipper continued to press the matter, hoping against hope.

"You can't contemplate true love, true happiness, true emotion! You're just a barbaric race of monsters, preying upon the weak! Killing each other to hold a piece of land until a stronger pack of you comes along and kills YOU to have it for themselves. You're trapped in an endless cycle and you never really live! You never do anything but fucking exist!"

A large weed snakes out from the leader and snakes around his neck; choking him until he can't breathe. The voice grinds and explodes inside him.

"YOU DARE SPEAK TO US THIS WAY?!"

Dipper laughs hoarsely through the strangle-hold.

"What's that? You can't understand me?" He coughs and gags and struggles to take in breath.

"So you're just going to kill me now?" He coughs again.

"Isn't that what I was asking for in the first place?" He tries to laugh but fails. His voice comes out next barely above a whisper.

"God, you're so easy to manipulate." Dipper smiles widely through his contorted expression.

The weed begins to squeeze the life out of him and he feels himself blacking out. Those evil black eyes stare at him with unbridled rage. In a whisper he chokes out one last thing.

"I win…"

Just like that, Dipper is choked into a black void.


	7. Chapter 7

Dipper's eyes shot open. He tried to breathe but vomited instead. Water flooded from his nose and mouth. He tried to look around but more water came up. He couldn't stop. After a few more heaves and coughs he finally felt like it was of his system and he sat back hard, holding his stomach and wincing. His head, neck and stomach were all throbbing and he shivered. He was wet and it was dark. Moonlight streamed through the trees overhead. How long had they been down in that water?

He sat there shivering for a moment. With a slight movement he brushes against something cold 'MABEL!'

His heart shattered as he looked next to him and saw that his sister was with him but… She was gone…

She looked cold, small, lifeless, but so peaceful in a way. The former girl that she was had completely disappeared though. Even through his pain he was surprised at how un-Mabel-like she looked in death. All her former energy had been extinguished by those monsters.

He just stared at her as tears started to flow down his cheeks. Dipper felt empty inside. Like all the life and feeling and emotion he'd had before had just simply drained away with the events with the Kelpies. He felt used up, like a deflated balloon.

"Mabel.. No Mabel.. Please.."

He whispered. The pain in his throat where the lead Kelpie had choked him prevented his voice from being any louder than that. It didn't matter. She couldn't hear him anymore anyway.

With a hoarse sob he gathered her into his arms, cradling his precious sister. More tears streamed down his face. He squeezed her close to him nuzzling her, even though she couldn't feel it.

"T-this is all my fault."

He squeaked out hoarsely.

If he had just got an extra pack and carried the fucking tent or something. Why did he leave her alone? Why?

In his reverie he felt something press softly into the side of his leg and heard a quiet snort. Dipper wiped his eyes and looked down. Waddles was staring at him with plaintive eyes. He was pressing his head against his leg. Something was in his mouth. THE MESSENGER BAG WITH THE JOURNALS!

With shaking hands he grabbed the first journal out of the bag with his handheld black light and flipped through the pages till he found the entry he wanted with the word 'Kelpies' scrawled across it.

His fingers trembled as he flicked on the black light. The word 'IVY' was scribbled across both pages in thick lettering.

Dipper's mind reeled. Rub it on her? Running a hand through his wet hair he quickly skimmed through the entry.

"KELPIES, a race of fish horse creatures that call their victims to a stream and trick them into drown in it so they can feast on their flesh and soul. Should someone chance to stumble into their realm in search of something they will have to outsmart the Kelpies to escape or they will be engulfed in seaweed. Near the streams of a Kelpies' domain grows ivy that can revive a drowned body so long as not more than two hours have passed."

Wincing he looked over the pages more. In small letters he noticed a phrase repeated a few times in invisible writing. "Make them eat it."

With a start he looked around, trying to be calm but failing horribly. He noticed they were IN the stuff! Ivy was all around them; growing up the tree trunks with its curling fingers and lining the entire length of the stream along either side. He had to admit he was slightly perplexed but there was no time to think.

Grabbing a handful of leaves he shoved it into his mouth and chewed for a minute then pulled the wad of plant from his mouth and gently pried open Mabel's. It wasn't easy. In the process he'd started to cry again.

He'd finally managed to get her mouth closed around the chewed up ivy. He simply held her close to his chest again, still crying, hoping against hope.

"Please. Please please…"

Dipper whimpered. A minute passes. Two minutes pass. Nothing happened. His face broke into a mask of pain and he began to sob again openly. The realization of what has happened finally hits him. She's gone. She's gone forever and there's nothing he can do.

He's lost in his pain. It was like a hot knife was stabbing into his chest and the heat spread to his fingertips. It hurt so badly that he cried loudly, howling to the forest with his loss.

He looked around, not knowing what to do in his agony and noticed Waddles was starting at Mabel fixedly. With a sniff he looked down at her. Maybe it was the light but, she looked different somehow.

What was happening?

With a hard jerk he's pushed from his sister as her arms shot out to her sides. Just like he had done, Mabel began to expel water. Like a crap-ton of it.

A smile touched the corner of his lips and his heart felt like it was beating again. He was shaking all over. She was alive. He'd saved her… He'd saved her.

He squeezed her close to him as she tried to push him off as she retched up more water but he didn't care. He held her to him. She tried to push him off again but he continued to cling desperately to her.

After one more gag of water Mabel went limp in his arms, trembling and shivering. Her breaths were ragged. Unbeknownst to Dipper, she was still conscious but she may as well not have been since she wasn't really all there. She just lay limply in his arms; her brain trying to form cohesive thoughts.

Dipper simply squeezed her and cradled her still shaking and trembling as well. He was coming down from the adrenaline rush slightly and felt dizzy and he wanted to throw up again. He fought back the urge to gag. He simply continued to hold her, still trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.

The girl felt something kind of smooth against her cheek. Or well, maybe not exactly smooth. It was nylon. It felt like nylon. She opened her eyes and saw a gentle stream gleaming in the moonlight. For some reason the sight made her stomach drop out and she was filled with an icy dread, even though she was already cold. She closed her eyes again tightly so she didn't have to look at it anymore. She was positively freezing, shivering uncontrollably and soaking wet.

Weakly, she gripped the fabric beneath her fingers, thoroughly enjoying the warmth against her cheek, hearing a heartbeat. She sighed softly, letting the warm comfort of that heartbeat spread all the way to her fingertips and toes.

Dipper realized she might be awake but he had no idea what to say or do. He was just so flabbergasted that she was even there with him at all. So he continued to just hold her. He began rocking back and forth gently under the cold moonlight.

She was still enjoying the warmth and heartbeat and now there was gentle movement. She let out a soft hum of contentment at the feeling and quietly began to wonder where she was exactly and who she was with. She clung more tightly to the warm stranger and pressed her cheek harder into their chest.

Dipper felt the movement and was sure she was awake now. He had to say something. He had to address what had just happened. He could not pretend it didn't anymore, as nice as those few moments were. With a shaking breath his voice cut the silence.

"How are you feeling?" It sounded stupid in his head and even stupider when he said it. But at least it was something. He felt extremely surprised to hear his own voice soft but clear as a bell and not raspy. The pain in his throat and neck were gone too. He was utterly confused about this but glad nonetheless.

Mabel's head throbbed and she heard a soft voice say something. It sounded like a question. Then she recognized it and mumbled through chattering teeth

"Dipper?…" It was a question. Her brain started to churn again and red flags ping off one by one inside her head; forcing clarity through her pounding headache.

"Where's Dipper?" She was so confused.

Dipper felt worried. She was really messed up. His eyebrows pushed together again and he had to repress the urge to cry. Taking in another deep breath he calmed himself for the sake of his sister.

"I'm r-right here, Mabes. See?" He pushed her away just enough so she could see his face and forced a smile for her.

"I'm here. I've got you." He repeated shakily, almost more to himself then her.

She relaxed again, most of her anxiety subsiding. Quietly she clung to him again and squeezed him tighter, wrapping her arms around his torso fumblingly. Her cheek rubbed against his warm chest and she sighed his name.

He didn't want to disturb her so for a moment he just let her relax there. But nagging feelings forced him to pipe up once again.

"Do.. Uhh.. Do you remember what happened?" He winced again. God why couldn't he figure out something better to say? Mentally he slapped himself.

Her brain was sluggish and she was loathing the idea using it. She'd much rather just lay here quietly with her bro bro; as cold as she was. She didn't wanna think about well, anything actually.

"I.. D-don't.." She stammered, still shivering.

Dipper sighed. He felt relieved and worried at the same time. He didn't want to tell her and he was glad she couldn't remember but on the other hand he HAD to tell her. She had DIED and she would want to know that she had died. He didn't want her to feel like she didn't know what had happened for the rest of her life.

A soft snort startled him and he gasped. Luckily it was just Waddles again. He let out a hiss of relief.

"Oh man you scared the crap out of me. Whatcha got there, buddy?"

One of the blobs glittered in the moonlight and was lighter than the other one. THEIR BACKPACKS! A sob of gratefulness caught in Dipper's throat when he realized that now they wouldn't die of hypothermia. They had everything they needed.

A few tears squeezed out of his eyes as he reached out to caress the big floppy ears fondly. He would take care of this damn pig for the rest of his days, he thought. From that moment he resolved that he would make sure no harm would EVER come to Waddles. He would always get the best of care. He owed this pig everything. With a jolt he realized without Waddles' help, Mabel wouldn't be.. wouldn't be..

He sniffed hard and looked down at his sister and held her close. She shivered hard. His face filled with worry, Dipper quickly grabbed for her pack and pulled out a fresh pair of clothes and a blanket. Actually, there were like four blankets in there. There was also lots of candy and a two stuffed animals. He shook his head and despite him not wanting it to happen, he smiled and a single tear slid down his cheek. 'God dammit Mabel.' He thought.

Getting back to his task, he quickly undressed her. It wasn't easy at first. She was mumbling and fighting him a bit, trying to clutch at his chest and hang there almost like some kind of baby animal. It wasn't until he told her in an urgent voice that he had to undress her or they might.. Well he didn't actually finish the thought but she got the point and with a slump she stopped struggling. He lay her down on the blanket, naked and she shivered again. With shaking hands he managed to dress her in a thick pair of stockings and the warmest of the three sweaters she had.

Now that his task was over with he suddenly felt very tired. He wasn't shivering as hard now either. Alarm bells went off in his head and he quickly stripped grabbing warm clothing from his own pack and dressed as quickly as his numb fingers would allow.

He wrapped another blanket around his sister's now sleeping form. He reached underneath it and touched her hand. It was warming up. It was still cold but it was warmer for sure. He relaxed slightly. She would be okay and so would he now; at least physically. He felt tired and sluggish. Slowly with trial and error he managed to get Mabel in the two sleeping bags he'd brought for both of them; zipping them together to form one big one.

With a small smile he called to Waddles and wrapped him in the other two blankets, deciding he would instead go without and just curl up with Mabel in the sleeping bag. Waddles needed the blankets more. And even if he didn't, Dipper owed them to him.

He slid himself in the sleeping bag next to his sister hemming her in. Waddles was on one side lying next to them. Him on the other, making sure she was warm and safe. Dipper pressed his face into the back of her neck, spooning her. A few tears of gratefulness squeezed from his eyes as he lay there listening to Mabel's quiet, calm breaths.

Sleep eluded him. Every time his eyelids would close he would think he heard a noise. A swirl of water? A snap of breaking pine needles? It was torture. Until finally and mercifully, he fell asleep, holding his lover close.


End file.
